Scared to Sleep? Here’s the Elm Street Guide to Escaping Nightmares

August 14, 2014

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The darkness closes is on you, and your chest becomes tight. Breathing becomes tensed, rushed and your heart beats so hard it feels like it’s going to explode. The beating gets louder that it becomes the only thing that you hear. The panic overwhelms you as all your greatest fears decide to meet you in one place: your dreams. After sweating heavily on your bed mattress, you breathe a sigh of relief the moment you wake up, knowing that it’s finally over.

We’ve all tried tomake sense of our nightmares at some point in our lives. Nightmares are believed to reveal our darkest, innermost fears in both the literal and symbolic form. The experience, although not fatal, can be absolutely terrifying. If you’ve wanted to get out of a nightmare, here’s our guide on how you can escape – before the darkness eats you whole.

Avoid watching scary movies and shows before bed

First, and this is just common sense talking, avoid watching movies and shows that would stimulate your sense of fear before bed. One of the most effective ways to avoid nightmares is by staying far far away from the trigger.

Think calming scenarios

As much as possible, put yourself in positive place before you go to sleep. Calm your mind and make it a habit to visualize happy scenarios. It doesn’t have to be something that’s already happened to you, just as long as it elicits positive feelings within you. Whether it’s the exhilaration of scoring an impossible goal in the World Cup, or remembering the joy you felt at your wedding day, hold on to those positive emotions.

Be more self aware in your dreams

You can also put a stop to the creepy crawlies in your head by becoming more self aware during the day. By increasing your self awareness in real life, you’ll be able to control thoughts in your dreams. One exercise that you can do is to look at your hands and pay close attention to every single detail that you notice. From the tiny little hairs to the sensation you feel when you rub fingers together. By practicing self awareness, you’ll be able to be more lucid when dreaming.

Confront the monsters in your head

Once you become a lucid dreamer, you’ll be better equipped to confront the fears that haunt you in your nightmares. Since your fears come from your own psyche, you have more power over them than you would like to admit. If the nightmares have been bothering you for quite a while now, don’t hesitate to get a professional help you deal with those unresolved issues.

Wake up

Lastly, just wake up. If you feel like your nightmare is starting to get out of control, remember that it’s just a dream, not reality. No matter how bad your nightmares get, always remember that you still have the upper hand in the matter. Don’t let it eat you up.

What has been your scariest nightmare so far? Let us know in the comments section below, and we might just let you in on ours.